The Coldest Man in the Room Melted Only for Me novel Chapter 404

If he had known it would come to this, why did he do it in the first place?

Riley looked down at Pierce, her gaze perfectly calm. Her clear eyes held no love, but they also held no hatred. There was only the peaceful detachment of someone who had completely let go.

Her voice was remarkably steady. "Pierce, when something shatters, you can't just glue it back together. There is no future for us."

Pierce clung desperately to the fabric of her pants. "There is! Riley, I swear there is. I'll change. I'll change everything. I'll do whatever you want. I'll treat you like a queen. I'll make it up to you and Alora..."

"Pierce," Riley interrupted, her patience entirely depleted. Looking at the massive bloodstain on his back and his unnaturally flushed face, she had zero desire to rehash their dead history. Her voice turned cold. "You are going to the hospital immediately."

Scott practically jumped in. "Mr. Landon, she's telling you to go to the hospital. Didn't you just say you'd do whatever she wants?"

"Right. I'll listen. The hospital." Pierce shoved his hands against the floor to push himself up, but his legs completely gave out. He stumbled sideways, swaying dangerously.

Scott moved to catch him, but catching sight of Riley standing right there, he quickly pulled his hands back.

Seeing Pierce about to crash into the floor while Scott stood there completely frozen, Riley had no choice but to reach out and steady him. She shot Scott a sharp glare. "Are you just going to stand there and watch?"

Scott offered a guilty, awkward smile. "Sorry, my brain buffered for a second." He quickly rushed over, and together they supported Pierce's dead weight, dragging him out of the VIP room.

Riley directed them to Statenbury Metro Hospital, as it was the closest facility to the bar.

Half an hour later, the emergency room doors finally swung open, and the attending physician stepped out.

Riley approached him immediately. "Doctor, how is he?"

The doctor's expression was grim. "The patient's condition is highly unstable. The repeated tearing of the wound has severely damaged the localized skin tissue, making it incredibly fragile. It is highly susceptible to reopening. If it tears again, he'll likely require a skin graft.

"Furthermore, the infection has triggered severe inflammation, resulting in a high fever. You must monitor his temperature closely. If the infection worsens, best-case scenario, the wound suppurates and the tissue goes necrotic. Worst-case scenario, it escalates into full-blown sepsis. He'll fall into a coma, and his organs will begin failing."

Riley hadn't anticipated the situation being this catastrophic. She gave a curt nod. "Understood."

The doctor's tone turned accusatory. "What exactly is wrong with you people? The man has a severe trauma wound. Why on earth would you let him drink?"

Riley wanted to clarify that she wasn't his family, but realizing there was no point in defending herself to a stranger, she pressed her lips together and stayed quiet.

Scott immediately jumped on the grenade. "That was entirely our fault."

The doctor issued a stern warning. "Alcohol is going to react aggressively with the anti-inflammatories and painkillers we need to administer. In severe cases, it causes fatal drug toxicity. The patient is currently drifting in and out of consciousness. You must watch him like a hawk. Absolutely no alcohol or alcohol-based products."

Scott nodded furiously. "We'll watch him, I swear."

"Someone must stay with him through the night. He is completely unresponsive right now due to the lethal combination of alcohol and the fever. If his fever breaks but he remains unarousable, or if he starts vomiting or hallucinating, do not just assume he's sleeping off a hangover. Those are critical danger signs. You must notify the medical staff immediately." With his final instructions delivered, the doctor turned and walked away.

A few minutes later, a nurse wheeled an unconscious Pierce out of the ER.

Normally, at this hour, she would be sitting in bed doing exactly that.

"No. How is Eleanor feeling today?"

"She had some soup and a bit of broth for dinner. She's looking much more energized."

"That's wonderful. Just make sure you strictly follow the sleep routine I gave you today. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia takes time to show results, but as long as you stick with it, it's highly effective for chronic, stubborn cases like yours."

"I will."

"And don't forget to write down your sleep diary right after you wake up tomorrow and send it to me."

"I will."

Riley was about to say something else when a nurse walked up beside her. "Are you the patient's family? Here is the thermometer. You need to monitor his temperature continuously."

Riley accepted the device. "Thank you."

The nurse walked away.

Sebastian's confused voice echoed through the phone. "You're at a hospital? Who's sick? Is Alora okay?"